News / Politics

Iran, Russia discuss Tehran-Riyadh row fall-out

Tuesday, 12 January 2016 4:33 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 12 January 2016 4:33 PM ]

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Bogdanov

Senior Iranian and Russian diplomats have exchanged views about the impacts of severance of relations between the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia on the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Iran on January 3, following the attacks on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad by some during protests against the Saudi regime over Riyadh's execution of top cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

In a Tuesday phone conversation, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Bogdanov discussed the latest developments in Syria including efforts by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura for the resumption of intra-Syrian talks.

The UN says it seeks negotiations between Damascus and foreign-backed opposition to begin in Geneva on January 25 in another attempt to end the bloody conflict in the Arab country.

On December 18, 2015, the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution according to which an international road map was set for a peace process in Syria. The approval came after peace talks in Vienna, Austria.

Amir-Abdollahian and Bogdanov also reviewed the latest developments in Yemen and the continuation of Saudi military campaign.

More than 7,500 people have been killed and over 14,000 others injured since Saudi airstrikes began in Yemen last March. The Saudi war has also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country’s facilities and infrastructure.

Yemenis have responded with attacks against Saudi forces deployed in the country as well as targets inside Saudi Arabia.

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